


The Heart Choice

by Writer_Geekgirl



Series: Castiel and Dean: An Apocalyptic Love Story [25]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, Destiel Promptober, F/M, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Witches
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-26
Updated: 2019-10-26
Packaged: 2021-01-03 13:23:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,333
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21180140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Writer_Geekgirl/pseuds/Writer_Geekgirl
Summary: With the help of Max and Alicia Banes, Castiel and Rowena create the spell to return Sam and Dean to their own time. The problem, Dean doesn't really want to go.This work is part of a Destiel Promptober 2019 prompt series. The stories are inspired by two different word prompts each day but the short vignettes will all tie in together and weave a larger story. Each story will be standalone (for the most part).The prompts for the day are: Tasty and Witches' School





	The Heart Choice

Rowena led Dean, Castiel, and Sam up the path to a small, weather-worn cabin. She raised her hand to knock when a deep voice interrupted, "Come on in, Rowena. The door is open."

Castiel's brow furrowed, "Max Baines?"

"Aye, he and Alicia in this reality live here," Rowena said. 

Sam and Dean said in unison, "Who?"

Rowena opened the door, "Hello, Maxwell."

Max Baines was sitting on a plump maroon couch in a richly decorated room that was incongruous with the exterior of the cabin. He appeared to be in his twenties and had a black raven sitting on the arm of the couch. 

"Good to see you, Rowena. Who are your friends?" He looked at Castiel, "That one is something else. Not human."

"He's an angel, Maxwell, and a friend. His name is Castiel. The ones in the lovely flannel are Sam and Dean," Rowena smiled.

Max's eyebrows shot up, "The Sam and Dean? From the stories you told us in witch school?"

Castiel looked confused, "Witch school? And shouldn't he be much older?"

Rowena sighed, "Aye, witch school. With the zombies popping up like jack-in-the-boxes all over the place, I needed a wee bit of help trying to keep them all contained. I took some apprentices. Max and Alicia helped me and learned a fair amount of magic themselves. I might have taught them some of the things I do to keep myself young."

Alicia appeared in a doorway leading to what looked like a kitchen, "Max said we'd have guests today." She walked over and hugged Rowena. "It is so good to see you, Rowena."

"You as well, Alicia. And yes, this is the Sam and Dean I've told you about. And part of the reason we are here. They came through a stone circle to come here. We missed the opportunity for them to return during the Fall thinning, and the Spring one isn't for months still. And you know that comes with no guarantee. I need a bit of help creating sachets that will send them back to their proper time if we get them back to their reality. They've from about fifty years ago. So, I'm hoping for a wee bit of help."

Max rose to his feet, "As always, I'm more than happy to help, Rowena. Shall we start to talk about ingredients?" Sam joined them, listening intently. Soon the trio was huddled over a small table with a variety of small items in front of them.

Alicia smiled at Dean, "When Max and Rowena get their witch on, they talk so fast I can't keep up."

Dean asked, "You aren't a witch?"

"Oh, no. I am. It's just for Rowena and Max it's a natural gift. For me, it's a lot of hard work and concentration. I let them design the spells, and I help by casting them. I think your brother might a gift too. He has an aura about him," Alicia responded.

Castiel said, "And Rowena helped the witches in this reality to…?"

"Purify areas and eradicate zombie infestations. She's really powerful and no one can do the spells she can. Max comes close. Maybe in 300 or 400 years, he'll be there too. She appeared on our doorsteps about 30 years ago and asked us to help her identify witches she could train. We handpicked some and trained them for a couple of years and set them loose." 

Dean frowned, "Aren't you worried about them going dark side?"

"We screened them pretty well. Also, there were a whole lot of zombies to take care of. We had to do something," Alicia smiled at Dean. "Hey, Dean, you want to go for a walk. They could be at that for hours."

Castiel started to tense before Dean said, "Nah, I'll just hang out with Cas here." He shot Castiel a significant look before looking back at Alicia.

"Oh, my apologies. How about some cobbler instead? Max made some last night, way more than we can eat. He said someone would be along to eat it. He was right," Alicia gestured them towards the kitchen.

Castiel followed Dean and Alicia into the kitchen. She asked, "Would you like some, Castiel?"

Castiel said no, while Dean said yes. Dean reiterated, "Cas would love some, wouldn't he?"

Castiel agreed, "Oh, yes. I'm sure it will be delicious."

The three of them sat awkwardly around the table. Castiel eating small bits of the cobbler, while Dean dug into it with gusto. Castiel shook his head at Dean's eating habits, while Alicia laughed at Dean. "You like the cobbler, then?"

"Very tasty," Dean said with his mouth full of food.

Castiel shook his head, "Sam and I have worked for years to get Dean to improve his eating habits."

Dean smirked, "I'm adorable."

Castiel smiled at him indulgently, "Yes, you are. But you still have deplorable table manners."

Dean said, "What do you know about food? You're an angel. Hey, are you going to eat that?" He stared at Castiel's cobbler. 

Castiel pushed it towards him, "Just so you know, Alicia, I don't eat often when I have grace. I have to sometimes now because my grace is not as strong as it once was. However, the real reason that Dean told me to ask for some was so that he could have it too."

Dean looked slightly embarrassed before shrugging and saying, "It's very delicious cobbler though."

Alicia laughed, "You two are absolutely adorable together."

Castiel's brow furrowed, "We are?"

"Like an old married couple. I should have seen it when you walked in the door." She offered Dean more cobbler, but he shook his head regretfully. 

"Thanks, but I need to keep my girlish figure," Dean said.

"All six foot two and 180 pounds of it," Castiel added.

Rowena walked into the kitchen with Max and Sam on her heels. "We've got the spell worked out, boys. I've done what you've asked, Castiel."

"Do you have to leave already?" Alicia asked.

"We still have some distance to cover. Thank you for your help and hospitality," Castiel said.

Alicia handed Sam a container with some cobbler in it as they headed for the door. Once outside, Dean looked at Castiel, "So, what are we doing with the spell?"

Castiel froze for a moment. "I have to send you home."

"Cas, I don't want to go," Dean protested.

Sam said, "Dean. We have to save the world. Rowena said…"

"I don't care what Rowena said; this is home now," Dean looked at Castiel belligerently.

Castiel wordlessly strode to the car. As soon as the others arrived, he pulled Dean's arm and dragged him a short distance away. "Dean, we've been through this."

"You just want him back. Future me. Admit it, Cas."

Castiel closed his eyes. "You are him, Dean. Everything we've experienced together here has happened. I promise that in a year, you will meet the then me. I am your future."

"But we weren't together."

"We were always together. You just didn't want to say the words out loud. Everyone else did for you."

"Cas…"

Castiel closed his eyes as the words, "You are dead to me," reverberated in his mind. He wondered if he was doing the right thing. This Dean loved him and didn't have the emotional baggage of the man that he loved so much. Was he making the right choice? Could he stay here and build a new relationship with Dean without all the betrayals and doubts, the harsh words and the half-hearted apologies? Memories flickered of him, Dean, Jack, and Sam eating hamburgers around the kitchen table; of Jack eating Cookie Crunch in the middle of the night; of watching Tombstone scant inches from Dean, knowing just how easy it would be to lean over and kiss him, but terrified to do so.

Dean said in a hoarse whisper, "Cas, please don't send me away."

Castiel replied softly with tears streaming down his cheeks, "I will always come when you call."


End file.
